World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Men

The International Skating Union has organised the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Men since 1893. Unofficial Championships were held in the years 1889–1892.[1]

World Allround Speed Skating Championships
Statusactive
Genresports event
Date(s)January–March
Frequencybiennial
Location(s)various
Inaugurated1889 (1889)
Organised byISU

History edit

Medal winning countries at the World All-Round Speed Skating Championships.

Distances used edit

  • In 1889, three distances had to be skated: 1/2 mile (805 m) — 1 mile (1,609 m) — 2 miles (3,219 m).
  • In the years 1890–1892, four distances had to be skated: 1/2 mile (805 m) — 1 mile (1,609 m) — 2 miles (3,219 m) — 5 miles (8,047 m).
  • Since 1893, four distances have to be skated: 500 m (0.31 mi) — 1,500 m (0.93 mi) — 5,000 m (3.1 mi) — 10,000 m (6.2 mi) (the big combination).

Ranking systems used edit

  • In 1889, one could only win the World Championships by winning all three distances. If no one won all three distances, no winner would be declared. Silver and bronze medals were not awarded.
  • In the years 1890–1907, one could only win the World Championships by winning at least three of the four distances, so there would be no World Champion if no skater won at least three distances. Silver and bronze medals were never awarded.
  • In the years 1908–1925, ranking points were awarded (1 point for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, and so on); the final ranking was then decided by ordering the skaters by lowest point totals. The rule that a skater winning at least three distances was automatically World Champion was still in effect, though, so the ranking could be affected by that. Silver and bronze medals were awarded now as well.
  • In the years 1926–1927, the ranking points on each distance were percentage points, calculated from a skater's time and the current world record time. Apart from that, the system used was the same as in the immediately preceding years.
  • Since 1928, the samalog system has been in use. However, the rule that a skater winning at least three distances was automatically World Champion remained in effect until (and including) 1986. This rule was applied in 1983 when Rolf Falk-Larssen from Norway won three distances and thus become World Champion despite after end of fourth distance (10,000 m) he had a worse samalog score than silver medalist Tomas Gustafson from Sweden.

Records edit

  • Sven Kramer from Netherlands has won a total of nine world championships, in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. He also hold records for total number of medals (12) by winning bronze medals in 2005, 2006 and 2019. Before Kramer, Clas Thunberg from Finland and Oscar Mathisen from Norway held the record with five world championships.
  • Sven Kramer has won four consecutive world championships, in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
  • The youngest World Allround Champion is Eric Heiden from the United States who won his first of three world allround titles in 1977 at age 18.
  • The oldest World Allround Champion is Clas Thunberg from Finland who won his fifth and last world allround title in 1931 at age 37.
  • Roberto Sighel from Italy hold record by number of participations in the championships (16 times in 1987–2002).
  • The biggest point margin between the winner and the second placed skater at the end of competition is 4.832 points between Eric Heiden from the United States and Jan Egil Storholt from Norway in 1979.
  • At the 1983 championships, Rolf Falk-Larssen from Norway won three distances and thus become World Allround Champion in accordance with then-existing rule. Being de-facto champion, he finished in 13th place at final distance (10,000 m) and in second place in points classification by losing 0.424 points to Tomas Gustafson from Sweden who eventually become silver medalist. Without taking into account this case, the smallest winning margin between the champion and the runner-up is 0.042 points between Soviet skaters Oleg Goncharenko and Robert Merkulov in 1956.
  • There are six speed skaters who become World Allround Champions by winning all four distances at the championships – Joe Donoghue from the United States (1891; unofficial championships), Jaap Eden from Netherlands (1896), Nikolay Strunnikov from Russia (1911), Oscar Mathisen from Norway (1912), Ard Schenk from Netherlands (1972) and Eric Heiden from the United States (1979).
  • By contrast, there are 13 speed skaters who become World Allround Champions without winning any of four distances – Michael Staksrud from Norway (1937), Alfons Bērziņš from Latvia (1940; unofficial championships), Odd Lundberg from Norway (1948), Juhani Järvinen from Finland (1959), Viktor Kosichkin from the Soviet Union (1962), Dag Fornæss from Norway (1969), Harm Kuipers from Netherlands (1975), Eric Flaim from the United States (1988), Johann Olav Koss from Norway (1990), Roberto Sighel from Italy (1992), Rintje Ritsma from Netherlands (1999 and 2001), Chad Hedrick from the United States (2004) and Koen Verweij from Netherlands (2014).
  • Eric Heiden and Shani Davis (both from the United States) are only men's speed skaters who become champions both at the World Allround and the World Sprint Championships. Heiden won three World Allround Championships in 1977–1979 and four World Sprint Championships in 1977–1980. He remained the only men's speed skater who win both championships in one calendar year by firstly achieving this feat in 1977 and then repeating this success in 1978 and 1979. Shani Davis is the only men's speed skater who won world titles at three different championships – World Allround Championships (2005 and 2006), World Sprint Championships (2009) and World Single Distances Championships (8 gold medals in 2004–2015).

Medal winners edit

Unofficial championships edit

YearLocationGoldSilverBronze
1889AmsterdamNone declaredNone declaredNone declared
1890AmsterdamNone declaredNone declaredNone declared
1891Amsterdam Joe DonoghueNone declaredNone declared
1892AmsterdamCancelled due to ice conditions
1940Oslo Alfons Bērziņš Harry Haraldsen Charles Mathiesen
1946Oslo Odd Lundberg Göthe Hedlund Charles Mathiesen

Official championships edit

YearLocationGoldSilverBronze
1893Amsterdam Jaap EdenNone declaredNone declared
1894StockholmNone declaredNone declaredNone declared
1895Hamar Jaap EdenNone declaredNone declared
1896St. Petersburg Jaap Eden (3)None declaredNone declared
1897Montreal Jack McCullochNone declaredNone declared
1898Davos Peder ØstlundNone declaredNone declared
1899Berlin Peder Østlund (2)None declaredNone declared
1900Kristiania (Oslo) Edvard EngelsaasNone declaredNone declared
1901Stockholm Franz Frederik Wathén[a]None declaredNone declared
1902Helsingfors (Helsinki)None declaredNone declaredNone declared
1903St. PetersburgNone declaredNone declaredNone declared
1904Kristiania (Oslo) Sigurd MathisenNone declaredNone declared
1905Groningen Coen de KoningNone declaredNone declared
1906Helsingfors (Helsinki)None declaredNone declaredNone declared
1907Trondhjem (Trondheim)None declaredNone declaredNone declared
1908Davos Oscar Mathisen Martin Sæterhaug Moje Öholm
1909Kristiania (Oslo) Oscar Mathisen Oluf Steen Otto Andersson
1910Helsingfors (Helsinki) Nikolay Strunnikov Oscar Mathisen Martin Sæterhaug
1911Trondhjem (Trondheim) Nikolay Strunnikov (2) Martin Sæterhaug Henning Olsen
1912Kristiania (Oslo) Oscar Mathisen Gunnar Strömsten[b] Trygve Lundgreen
1913Helsingfors (Helsinki) Oscar Mathisen Vasily Ippolitov Nikita Naidenov
1914Kristiania (Oslo) Oscar Mathisen (5) Vasily Ippolitov Väinö Wickström[c]
1915Not held due to World War I
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
1922Kristiania (Oslo) Harald Strøm Roald Larsen Clas Thunberg
1923Stockholm Clas Thunberg Harald Strøm Yakov Melnikov
1924Helsinki Roald Larsen Uuno Pietilä Julius Skutnabb
1925Oslo Clas Thunberg Uuno Pietilä Roald Larsen
1926Trondhjem (Trondheim) Ivar Ballangrud Roald Larsen Bernt Evensen
1927Tampere Bernt Evensen Clas Thunberg Armand Carlsen
1928Davos Clas Thunberg Ivar Ballangrud Bernt Evensen
1929Oslo Clas Thunberg Ivar Ballangrud Michael Staksrud
1930Oslo Michael Staksrud Ivar Ballangrud Dolf van der Scheer
1931Helsinki Clas Thunberg (5) Bernt Evensen Ivar Ballangrud
1932Lake Placid Ivar Ballangrud Michael Staksrud Bernt Evensen
1933Trondheim Hans Engnestangen Michael Staksrud Ivar Ballangrud
1934Helsinki Bernt Evensen (2) Birger Wasenius Ivar Ballangrud
1935Oslo Michael Staksrud Ivar Ballangrud Hans Engnestangen
1936Davos Ivar Ballangrud Birger Wasenius Eddie Schroeder
1937Oslo Michael Staksrud (3) Birger Wasenius Max Stiepl
1938Davos Ivar Ballangrud (4) Karl Wazulek Charles Mathiesen
1939Helsinki Birger Wasenius Alfons Bērziņš Charles Mathiesen
1940Not held due to World War II
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1946
1947Oslo Lassi Parkkinen Sverre Farstad Åke Seyffarth
1948Helsinki Odd Lundberg (2 [d]) Johnny Werket Henry Wahl
1949Oslo Kornél Pajor Kees Broekman Odd Lundberg
1950Eskilstuna Hjalmar Andersen Odd Lundberg Johnny Werket
1951Davos Hjalmar Andersen Johnny CronsheyKornél Pajor[e]
1952Hamar Hjalmar Andersen (3) Lassi Parkkinen Ivar Martinsen
1953Helsinki Oleg Goncharenko Boris Shilkov Wim van der Voort
1954Sapporo Boris Shilkov Oleg Goncharenko Yevgeny Grishin
1955Moscow Sigvard Ericsson Oleg Goncharenko Boris Shilkov
1956Oslo Oleg Goncharenko Robert Merkulov Yevgeny Grishin
1957Östersund Knut Johannesen Boris Shilkov Boris Tsybin
1958Helsinki Oleg Goncharenko (3) Vladimir Shilykovsky Roald Aas
1959Oslo Juhani Järvinen Toivo Salonen Robert Merkulov
1960Davos Boris Stenin André Kouprianoff Helmut Kuhnert
1961Gothenburg Henk van der Grift Viktor Kosichkin Rudie Liebrechts
1962Moscow Viktor Kosichkin Henk van der Grift Ivar Nilsson
1963Karuizawa Jonny Nilsson Knut Johannesen Nils Aaness
1964Helsinki Knut Johannesen (2) Viktor Kosichkin Rudie Liebrechts
1965Oslo Per Ivar Moe Jouko Launonen Ard Schenk
1966Gothenburg Kees Verkerk Ard Schenk Jonny Nilsson
1967Oslo Kees Verkerk (2) Ard Schenk Fred Anton Maier
1968Gothenburg Fred Anton Maier Magne Thomassen Ard Schenk
1969Deventer Dag Fornæss Göran Claeson Kees Verkerk
1970Oslo Ard Schenk Magne Thomassen Kees Verkerk
1971Gothenburg Ard Schenk Göran Claeson Kees Verkerk
1972Oslo Ard Schenk (3) Roar Grønvold Jan Bols
1973Deventer Göran Claeson Sten Stensen Piet Kleine
1974Inzell Sten Stensen Harm Kuipers Göran Claeson
1975Oslo Harm Kuipers Vladimir Ivanov Yury Kondakov
1976Heerenveen Piet Kleine Sten Stensen Hans van Helden
1977Heerenveen Eric Heiden Jan Egil Storholt Sten Stensen
1978Gothenburg Eric Heiden Jan Egil Storholt Sergey Marchuk
1979Oslo Eric Heiden (3) Jan Egil Storholt Kay Arne Stenshjemmet
1980Heerenveen Hilbert van der Duim Eric Heiden Tom Erik Oxholm
1981Oslo Amund Sjøbrend Kay Arne Stenshjemmet Jan Egil Storholt
1982Assen Hilbert van der Duim (2) Dmitry Bochkaryov Rolf Falk-Larssen
1983Oslo Rolf Falk-Larssen Tomas Gustafson Aleksandr Baranov
1984Gothenburg Oleg Bozhev Andreas Ehrig Hilbert van der Duim
1985Hamar Hein Vergeer Oleg Bozhev Hilbert van der Duim
1986Inzell Hein Vergeer (2) Oleg Bozhev Viktor Shasherin
1987Heerenveen Nikolay Gulyayev Oleg Bozhev Michael Hadschieff
1988Alma-Ata Eric Flaim Leo Visser Dave Silk
1989Oslo Leo Visser Gerard Kemkers Geir Karlstad
1990Innsbruck Johann Olav Koss Ben van der Burg Bart Veldkamp
1991Heerenveen Johann Olav Koss Roberto Sighel Bart Veldkamp
1992Calgary Roberto Sighel Falko Zandstra Johann Olav Koss
1993Hamar Falko Zandstra Johann Olav Koss Rintje Ritsma
1994Gothenburg Johann Olav Koss (3) Ids Postma Rintje Ritsma
1995Baselga di Pinè Rintje Ritsma Keiji Shirahata Roberto Sighel
1996Inzell Rintje Ritsma Ids Postma Keiji Shirahata
1997Nagano Ids Postma Keiji Shirahata Frank Dittrich
1998Heerenveen Ids Postma (2) Rintje Ritsma Roberto Sighel
1999Hamar Rintje Ritsma Vadim Sayutin Eskil Ervik
2000Milwaukee Gianni Romme Ids Postma Rintje Ritsma
2001Budapest Rintje Ritsma (4) Ids Postma Bart Veldkamp[f]
2002Heerenveen Jochem Uytdehaage Dmitry Shepel Derek Parra
2003Gothenburg Gianni Romme (2) Rintje Ritsma Ids Postma
2004Hamar Chad Hedrick Shani Davis Carl Verheijen
2005Moscow Shani Davis Chad Hedrick Sven Kramer
2006Calgary Shani Davis (2) Enrico Fabris Sven Kramer
2007Heerenveen Sven Kramer Enrico Fabris Carl Verheijen
2008Berlin Sven Kramer Håvard Bøkko Shani Davis
2009Hamar Sven Kramer Håvard Bøkko Enrico Fabris
2010Heerenveen Sven Kramer Jonathan Kuck Håvard Bøkko
2011Calgary Ivan Skobrev Håvard Bøkko Jan Blokhuijsen
2012Moscow Sven Kramer Jan Blokhuijsen Koen Verweij
2013Hamar Sven Kramer Håvard Bøkko Bart Swings
2014Heerenveen Koen Verweij Jan Blokhuijsen Denis Yuskov
2015Calgary Sven Kramer Denis Yuskov Sverre Lunde Pedersen
2016Berlin Sven Kramer Sverre Lunde Pedersen Jan Blokhuijsen
2017Hamar Sven Kramer (9) Patrick Roest Jan Blokhuijsen
2018Amsterdam Patrick Roest Sverre Lunde Pedersen Marcel Bosker
2019Calgary Patrick Roest Sverre Lunde Pedersen Sven Kramer
2020Hamar Patrick Roest (3) Sverre Lunde Pedersen Seitaro Ichinohe
2022Hamar Nils van der Poel Patrick Roest Bart Swings
2024Inzell Jordan Stolz Patrick Roest Hallgeir Engebråten

All-time medal count edit

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Netherlands40203090
2  Norway373634107
3  Finland910322
4  United States95519
5  Soviet Union8131031
6  Sweden44614
7  Russia35210
8  Italy1337
9  Latvia1102
10  Canada1001
 Hungary1001
12  Japan0224
13  Austria0123
14  East Germany0112
15  France0101
 Great Britain0101
17  Belgium0033
18  Germany0011
Independent0011
Totals (18 entries)114103103320

Unofficial World Championships of 1889–1892, 1940 and 1946 (not recognized by the ISU) included

Multiple medalists edit

Boldface denotes active skaters and highest medal count among all skaters (including those who are not included in these tables) per type.

RankSkaterCountryFromToGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1Sven Kramer  Netherlands200520199312
2Clas Thunberg  Finland192219315117
3Oscar Mathisen  Norway19081914516
4Ivar Ballangrud  Norway1926193844311
5Rintje Ritsma  Netherlands199320034239
6Patrick Roest  Netherlands20172024336
7Ard Schenk  Netherlands196519723227
8Michael Staksrud  Norway192919373216
9Oleg Goncharenko  Soviet Union19531958325
10Johann Olav Koss  Norway199019943115

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Wathén represented the Grand Duchy of Finland which was part of the Russian Empire at that time.
  2. ^ Strömsten represented the Grand Duchy of Finland which was part of the Russian Empire at that time.
  3. ^ Wickstrøm represented the Grand Duchy of Finland which was part of the Russian Empire at that time.
  4. ^ Lundberg won his first allround title in 1946 at the unofficial World Championships.
  5. ^ Pajor used to skate for Hungary until he defected in 1949. From then on the ISU allowed him to participate as an independent skater representing the ISU as he did in 1951. In 1952 he represented Sweden at the European Allround Championships in Östersund in Sweden winning the bronze medal in the overall standings.
  6. ^ Until 1995 Veldkamp skated for the Netherlands. From 1996 he skated for Belgium in order to avoid having to participate in Dutch qualification trials for the major tournaments.

References edit

  1. ^ "Some Key Dates in ISU History". ISU.org. Retrieved 21 November 2012.